1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a shroud assembly for an electrical connector, that is, to a shroud assembly for an electrical connector which is made up of a female socket and a male plug that is insertable into the socket to make electrical contact therewith, and each of which is surrounded by a shroud. The socket and the plug are enshrouded by providing each with a cup-shaped insulating shroud member, one of which is slidably mounted into the other to permit the connection and disconnection of the electrical connector, the shroud members being designed to interlock with each other when assembled as well as to receive a lockout bar extending between the female socket and the male plug to prevent the inadvertent reconnection of the disconnected electrical connector.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known in the prior art to provide the engaged female plug and male socket components of an electrical connector with a protective cover or casing of an insulating material to surround the connected electrical connector and to thereby help to prevent electrical contact and offer a degree of safety to a user who may be grasping the plug and socket components in opposite hands during the connection of the plug and socket components to one another or during their disconnection. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,429,938 (Flor) 4,003,622 (Gartland, Jr.) and 4,274,692 (Hoffman et al) are examples of such protective covers for electrical connectors.
For obvious safety reasons, and for compliance with safety standards or regulations based on such reasons, it is often desired to provide a safety lockout to a disconnected electrical connector, for example, when servicing machinery which receives its electrical supply through such electrical connector. Otherwise, serious accidents involving the personnel engaged in such machinery servicing activities could occur upon the accidental or inadvertent reconnection of the disconnected connector while the machinery is being serviced. At present, the lockout is generally provided by constructing the switch box that is in the circuit with the electrical connector to receive a key-operated or combination lock so that the switch box cannot be opened to throw the switch to the "on" position except by a person who has a key or the combination to the lock. Unfortunately, however, the electrical connector and the switch box that is in its circuit are often physically remote from one another, and it is not always possible to see machinery being serviced from the location of the switch box, a factor which creates a high risk to the personnel involved in servicing the machinery since there may be duplicate keys to the lock on the switch box or there may be more than one person familiar with its combination. Accordingly, what is needed is a shrouded electrical connector with a safety lockout feature within the shroud which permits the electrical connector to be used according to its intended function, and which further provides an interlock for the male plug and female socket members when the electrical connector is assembled as well as to provide a safety lockout bar between the male plug and female socket to prevent the inadvertent reconnection of the disconnected electrical connection while the machinery is being serviced.